The business events sector is being taken more seriously by
governments around the world, according to The Business of Events’ Global
Destination Report.
The report also found that funding has remained broadly
stable and that there is an enhanced focus on the legacy of events. There is an
indication of a decline in international events, but to date this has been compensated
by an increase in domestic events.
Launched at IBTM World in Barcelona, the second edition of the Global
Destination Report was commissioned by comms agency davies tanner and conducted by business
events research agency SFA Connect, and aims to establish how the sector has
changed since 2019. Focusing on six main areas including funding, volume and
legacy, it aims to demonstrate to government and policymakers the benefits of a
strong and supported business events sector.
The survey was conducted during September and October 2022 among
more than 1,100 destination respondents. Just over half (56 per cent) of respondents report to a domestic
tourism department, with the remaining 44 per cent reporting to other
departments or agencies. This suggests that the business events sector is generally viewed as part of the visitor economy and the wider tourism mix.
More than half of respondents (55 per cent) reported that
how they are regarded by government had increased since 2019, suggesting that
the role played by business events departments is being taken more seriously.
Just seven per cent of respondents reported a decrease.
When it comes to budgets, just over half (52 per cent) have
seen core funding remain the same or increase since 2019. 42 per cent of
respondents have seen a decrease in funding.
A significantly
larger proportion of respondents reported a decrease in volume of international
events in 2022. In Europe, 65 per cent of respondents reported a decrease in international
events compared to just 16 per cent reporting an increase. This compares to 31
per cent and 38 per cent reporting increases in regional and national events
respectively, alongside 23 per cent and 25 per cent reporting decreases.
Legacy continues to play an important role for destinations,
with 95 per cent of respondents saying that legacy or future building when
bringing a major event to their destination was either very important (61 per
cent) or somewhat important (34 per cent). Just five per cent said it was not
very important, with no one saying that it was not at all important.
You can download and read the full report here.
